Tyson explains and shows how being short can be an advantage to the smaller fighter.

[Verstyle]

[DancinDestroyer]

excellent documentary.
Its all about employing the fighting style that is right for you..
Mike did this very well and his success gives hope for shorter fighters
who 'think' they're disadvantaged

[GhostInMachines]

yea im 5'11" 205 pounds, trying to gain weight instead of cut down, so this helped alot realizing im gonna be the shorter guy in the heavyweight group. Ive always known as said in the video you loose power punching down, when it might seem following gravity would help you but it doesnt..
I always really wondered how big a difference 3 inches makes and it really tells you, all it should change is the gameplan of the fighters (and how well they utalize it) instead of telling you whos gonna win because their 3 inches taller. I dont know, mikes not really that short at 5'11", maybe too short for pro basketball(wait a minute before bashing read on). but the average hockey player is 6'0, about 200 pounds and the same pretty much goes for baseball at around 6'1. soccer too.
I guess he just thought that unless your spectacular at a sport being under 6 feet isnt gonna exactly help you, but he found how it made it work for him. a punch is a punch i guess if the guy weighs 200 pounds it shouldnt matter if hes 5 10 or 6'7 still the same mass behind it.

[GhostInMachines]

aright out of all the years ive studied learning martial arts and boxing this subject is something I can say I know the most about regarding fighting theory. So id recommend reading this whole thing if you ever read anything i write.

bruce lee was asked among the best fighters of his time, him included, who was the fastest. himself, chuck norris, and others. he said that this was not really important, they were all virtually the same at striking speed in his eyes. He said its not really whos fastest at punching(or who has more reach for that matter) it comes down to who can close the gap first. in other words, its not who throws the jab fastest or the longest, but who can stay out of your reach, then move into position to strike the fastest and get to work, THE TIMING.

if the timing of the taller fighter is better, than they can keep the smaller fighter from getting close by keeping them at bay with jabs. but if the smaller fighter has better timing , and he gets inside that big guy, there goes the tall guys advantage.


I dont know if boxers really learn about zones like i did in kickboxing, but once your in zone 1, or the closest zone, the fighters reach would actually help you to be shorter because then you can throw compact hooks and uppercuts. the longer arms are now a disadvantage because you have to throw hooks now and theyll have to loop wider. so ultimatly to bruce lee the best fighter might not exactly be short persay, but would have the best timing. Most likely of average height. If you have perfect timing, and a long reach, damn good for you too. up close to the tall guy is where you want to be, but away from the short guy doesnt really get you anywhere.
tyson said it, its all about timing not about reach.
yep so tyson and bruce would agree, its how you time the attack not how big you are or how fast

[TheWolf]

Magnificent.

[phallus]

excellent documentary.
Its all about employing the fighting style that is right for you..
Mike did this very well and his success gives hope for shorter fighters
who 'think' they're disadvantaged

exactly, being 5 10 1/4 didn't stop rocky marciano from knocking almost everyone he fought the **** out. boxing isn't the NBA, giant caveman valuev got beat up by little 6'1" chagaev

[eazy_mas]

It not the height or strenght or speed that is most important in a fight but how you use them to you advantage.

[hulme#1]

Great clip.

'87, damn. It's always cool to see Mike's interviews and chats from that period. He was seldom less than an eloquent and elucidative interviewee.

He was genuinely inspirational. Wish he could've never gotten off that road.

[REGULATOR8]

Not like theres such a great disparity between 5'11 and the heavyweight average of 6'1. ohhh 2 inches. I think people make too big deal out of height.

[GhostInMachines]

Not like theres such a great disparity between 5'11 and the heavyweight average of 6'1. ohhh 2 inches. I think people make too big deal out of height.

especially when their reach is virtually the same